Megamind Magazine

Megamind Magazine http://www.megamindmagazine.com An International Clubbing and DJ Culture Magazine. Megamind Magazine Copyright 2002-2011 Megamind Magazine info@megamindmagazine.com (Megamind Magazine) megamind@megamindmagazine.com (Megamind Magazine) Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:01:22 +0100 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:01:22 +0100 60 en-us Megamind Magazine An International Clubbing and DJ Culture Magazine. http://www.megamindmagazine.com/megamind_rss.png 64 64 http://www.megamindmagazine.com Amsterdam Dance Event sold out success 2011

The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) looks back on another very successful edition. The sixteenth edition of the most important conference and showcase for electronic music welcomed more than 3,000 conference and 140,000 festival visitors from 62 different countries. The event, that took place from 19 to 22 October, has significantly expanded with the addition of ADE University, the expansion of Music and Bits and the annual Top100 DJ Awards, and noted many sold-out events and a record number of performances.

ADE 2011

The ADE is the most important meeting place for the international music industry. For four days, 3,000 visitors came together to do business, network and attend a comprehensive conference program , where prominent artists like David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, and Boy George spoke about their careers and vision of the music industry. This year there was also a special focus on the Brazilian music industry, the success of the Dutch DJs and producers abroad. Buma/Stemra also launched a special app, which composers and songwriters can use to gain insight into their daily airplay on radio stations.

ADE 2011

The development and expansion of the conference program was illustrated by the ADE University, a program designed specifically for students, with lectures from Simon Dunmore, Afrojack and Nalden. Music and technology came together at Music and Bits, with representatives from Sound Cloud, Pitchfork and Boiler Room. The harder music styles were discussed at Hard Dance Event and ADE Next offered new talent a program full of workshops, demonstration sessions and various Q&A's including Sven Väth and Frankie Knuckles.

ADE 2011

The ADE festival has grown in size as well, with a staggering 800 artists performing at 220 events spread over the city, welcoming 140,000 festival visitors that enjoyed the most diverse electronic music. The world’s biggest artist from every electronic music genre were present, including David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, Afrojack, Frankie Knuckles, Ferry Corsten, Joris Voorn, Carl Cox, Groove Armada, Dave Clarke, Modeselektor, Martyn, Chris Liebing, David Morales, Sander van Doorn, Goldie, Hudson Mohawke, Roger Sanchez , Richie Hawtin and many others. The festival was held in a record number of 52 clubs and venues.

ADE 2011

New this year was the presentation of the Top100 DJ Awards, which took place for the first time in the Netherlands. David Guetta was voted number one DJ in the world. The Dutch were well represented again, nearly half of the top 20 are Dutch DJ’s; Armin van Buuren (2), Tiësto (3), Afrojack (7), Dash Berlin (8), Fedde Le Grand (14 ), Sander van Doorn (16), Headhunterz (17), Ferry Corsten (18) and Laidback Luke (20).

ADE 2011

Official facts & figures
Visitors:
Festival - 140000
Conference - 3000
ADE Next - 500
ADE University - 350
Hard Dance Event - 600
Music and Bits - 250
Nationalities - 62
Artists - 800
Clubs - 52
Events - 220
Journalists and media - 300

Website: Amsterdam Dance Event
Photo credits: Aico Lind, Emma Pierre & Betribes]]> music entertainment Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:57:00 +0100 Gumball 3000 2011 - Making it from London to Istanbul

It all started with the registration and pre-pre-party on the roof of Hilton Trafalgar hotel and then the gumballers hit the official pre-party at the Playboy Club in London on the 25th May 2011 where all the participants and a few lucky fans gathered to kick off their journey across Europe and Eastern Europe.

Gumball 3000

The journey officially started in London on the 26th of May at Covent Garden in typical English weather, rain. The first leg was from Covent Garden via the Euro tunnel to Paris. Arriving at Place Vendôme early evening before the party kicked off in style at the Parisian club VIP Room in the heart of Paris with Bun B & DJ Muggs (Cypress hill) responsible for the entertainment.

Gumball 3000

The day after, 27th of May, was the first real long stage of the rally where the drivers were to drive from Paris to Barcelona via the Circuit D'Albi near the small South Western French town of Le Séquestre. The French police had a field day with many tickets issued for speeding along the way, some more deserved then others. At the Circuit D'Albi all those in need to stretch their cars limits were allowed to. Some stretched their cars a bit too much ending up damaging their ride to Istanbul so badly they had to find other means to finish the rally.

David Guetta - Gumball 3000

Those fortunate enough headed towards the glamours W hotel in Barcelona for a night out at the Sutton Club with non other then David Guetta and his "Fuck Me, I'm Famous" party. Some gumballers partied so hard that they woke up on the beach or on a street somewhere in Barcelona. Some even spent the night locked out of their rooms.

On the morning of the 28th of May there was first a car display outside the W hotel for all the Spanish fans before the gumballers headed to the Monte Carlo F1 Grand Prix in Monaco for a two day stay at the Fairmont Hotel Monte Carlo that included the F1 race viewed from the legendary Fairmont Hairpin terrace. This was the chance for gumballers to recharge their batteries and chill for a bit, but in true Gumball 3000 manner, that was the last thing on their minds as party after party served up the best on offer in Monaco. Everything from boat parties to open-air parties or a casual night out at the Billionaire Club.

Ever onwards, on the 30th of May they headed to Venice for the Betsafe Poker Tournament at the wonderful Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, but first they made a stop in Forte dei Marmi on the coast for lunch. A little detour, but essential for any gumballer on the Gumball 3000 rally. At the poker tables in Venice one could win a specially made Betsafe Gumball 3000 solid silver bracelet, much like those up for grabs on the international poker circuit, but much more exclusive. The winner of the poker tournament was Karsten Green from Team Zulu.

After a good nights sleep the Gumball 3000 continued the day after with one the longest stages of the rally, Venice to Belgrade via Zagreb, three countries (Italy, Croatia, Serbia) in one day. In Zagreb they went for a guided tour of the Mimara Museum before leaving for Belgrade to spend the night at Continental Hotel Beograd. This was the second time in the rallies recent history that they come to Belgrade, last time was during the 2006 rally, and the crowds back then were huge and this time around they were even bigger. Before the night was over they partied and had their cars on display outside the hotel for all the mesmerized fans that had gathered.

Gumball 3000

Party hard till the sun comes up, then the longest and final stage of the rally was about to start, time for Belgrade to Istanbul via Sofia, another three country journey (Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey). Most drivers left early in the morning to be able to arrive at a reasonable time in Istanbul. Others winged it and drove faster in order to catch up. Around mid-day the gumballers arrived in Sofia for a look at the National Art Gallery and a public car display in the heart of the city. Loads of fans lined the roads in to the city and many more wandered around amongst the cars and got autographs and photos of the stars. It's not every day you get 100 or so supercars coming to town.

The Gumball 3000 left Sofia, Bulgaria and headed towards Istanbul, Turkey for the finish and final party at the Reina Club in Istanbul. The roads from Bulgaria to Turkey's Istanbul wasn't really what some of the drivers had expected. Loads of potholes and generally bad roads, not to mention other drivers, especially Turkish ones, as reported via Twitter on more then one occasion. Upon arrival in Istanbul and finally being able to let the hair down and go all in, without needing to think about tomorrows drive, served up for a massive Gumball 3000 final party. Eve performed on stage as the awards ceremony was slowly getting on its way. As with all Gumball 3000 rallies there is the small, but equally important, Gumball Awards where the best drivers and teams get rewarded for their efforts and the highly sought after "Spirit of Gumball" Trophy is awarded. Many teams had their sights on the trophy, but The Dudesons snagged it with their characters and equally awesomely tuned Cadillac Escalade ESV Ambulance with United Nations Diplomatic license plates.

Gumball 3000

Gumballl 3000 2011 Award winners
Spirit of The Gumball - The Dudesons
EcoForecourt Award for Greenest entry - Karta Healy
Most Fearless Driver Award - Shane Lynch
Ambassadors Award - Team Renault 4L
Best Car - Kevin Burke & Massimo's Aston Martin One-77
Best Timekeepers - Ndamukong Suh & Cody Glenn
Best Entertainer - Bun B
Sparkle Award - Buttsy Butler & Kenneth Moen
Betsafe - Win on Almost Anything Award - Garreth & Matt (Scots on Gumball)

What happens next year?
The route for next years Gumball 3000 has already been announced and in 2012 the Gumball 3000 does the legendary trip from New York City to Los Angeles. The cities that will be visited are New York City, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, Las Vegas and finally Los Angeles. This is a route that one has to do at least once in ones lifetime. Megamind Magazine will be doing it, will you?

Keen on knowing more?
If you want to find out more about the Gumball 3000 Rally or take a look at the coverage then we recommend you visiting these websites: Gumball 3000 and Betsafe Gumball 3000 2011 Live Coverage

Photo credits: _Sukun, Oskar Bakke, Pere Nubiola, Greg Falski, Gumball 3000 & Davor Kuhelj

Betsafe videos
Pre-Gumball Update

Pre-Gumball Madness

London to Paris

Paris to Barcelona

Barcelona to Monaco

Monaco F1 Grand Prix

Monaco to Venice and Betsafe Poker Tournament

Venice to Belgrade

Belgrade to Istanbul
]]> music entertainment Sun, 19 Jun 2011 01:57:00 +0200 Future Music Festival Sydney 2011 - The Review

Music lovers across the world would have heard plenty about Australia's summer festival season, where hundreds of thousands of partygoers slap on the sunscreen and head out into the rolling grassy hills and blue skies to enjoy pumping tunes and performances from some of the world's finest. The most renowned for 20 years has been the enduring rock/dance fusion that is the Big Day Out, but nipping at its heels this year for sheer size and mass appeal is Future Music Festival.

Future Music Festival 2011

From its humble beginnings back in 2006 as a one-off event in Sydney catering to 6,000 people across a small section of Randwick Racecourse, with a mostly DJ centric lineup featuring the likes of Armin van Buuren, David Guetta and Erick Morillo, it’s now morphed into a juggernaut of a national tour that hits five states across two weekends with sideshows aplenty, still hosting some of the world’s most successful DJs, but now alongside spectacular live electronic acts and a growing crossover roster of indie-dance bands.

Future Music Festival 2011

This year more than ever there was something for everyone across a multitude of stages, with the sold-out Sydney show now hosting a whopping 50,000+ punters across every last corner of the same venue, including a massive walkway laid across the midfield of the actual racecourse, with a mini-stage set up in the infield spewing out foam, bubbles and party tunes for anyone who might get bored during the lengthy commute.

Future Music Festival 2011

Most of the punters enter via the North side of the racecourse grounds, and upon entry it’s a short walk to a domed Pavilion space that’s been host to the trance stage over the years, with tech trance icon Sander van Doorn curating the arena under his ‘Dusk Til Doorn’ banner. Take a short stroll towards the grandstands, and plonked right on the edge of the racecourse itself is the ‘Dim Mak’ stage, named after the LA electro label operated by party monster Steve Aoki who headlines later in the day to a massive crowd – who greet him with an enthusiastic “WHOOP WHOOP” when he drops his immensely popular Bloody Beetroots collaboration Warp 2.0.

Future Music Festival 2011

This is just the beginning though, as you’ll find a majority of the located crowd across the walkway and over the other side of the racecourse. To your left after exiting the walkway is the Likes of You Tent, catering to lovers of underground techno and hosting the likes of Sven Vath, Leftfield and more. To your right are the two massive main stages placed right next to each other, separated by a huge VIP marquee. During the peak of the festival it’s simply mind boggling to look out and see how far and how densely the crowd stretches back from the flashing lights of the stages.

Future Music Festival 2011

The first big international act to hit the Future Music mainstage just after 3pm is US popstar Ke$ha. She’d been a divisive addition to the lineup, with the underground dance enthusiasts crying bloody murder, but she’s a reflection of how wide an audience the festival is catering to now. You can’t fault Ke$ha for her enthusiasm as she blasts through her portfolio of sleazy hits like Take It Off and Blow. Following soon after are reigning Australian electro heavies The Presets with a characteristically spirited live performance, and immensely popular UK rapper Dizzee Rascal.

Future Music Festival 2011

Over at the Mazda2Flamingo stage right next door, home to many of the crossover indie-dance acts, a sizable crowd collects early for Mark Ronson and his sizable Business International live posse, the lot of them bursting into a raucous sing-a-long when the band plays their version of The O.C. theme song California. Next up are New York’s MGMT, their swag of electro-tinged psychedelic rock tunes making them the perfect crossover act for Future Music Festival. After the sun goes down Aussie dance-metal titans Pendulum belt out a powerful set that surprisingly draws the biggest and most sprawling crowd for the entire day.

If there was one act that was fitting to headline the sprawling extravagance of Future Music Festival this year, it’s UK veterans the Chemical Brothers who bring with them one of the most stunning audio/visual spectaculars ever seen. You couldn’t possibly undersell the stupendous technical rider that would have been needed for this show. As the Chems rip through a mashup medley of their hits (Do It Again, Chemical Beats, Hey Boy Hey Girl), the crowd are bright-eyed and bedazzled by the hypnotic music and trippy visuals.

Future Music Festival 2011

However, there’s nearly as many punters enjoying Swedish house star Steve Angelo’s massive tunes at the Mazda2Flamingo stage next door, as well as a sizable contingent of underground dance fans being wowed by Richie Hawtin’s mind-bending Plastikman audio/visual live show, and the trance faithful reaching for the lasers over at Cosmic Gate, proving there really is something for everybody this year at Future Music Festival.

Future Music Festival 2011 Sydney - Timelapse

Website: Future Music Festival | Future Entertainment]]> music entertainment Sun, 01 May 2011 21:47:00 +0200 A State of Trance 500 Sydney - The Review
“All units stand by. Prepare for transmission. Set frequencies. Connecting global audience.”

These grandiose words have been ringing out across the world during March and April, with the live broadcasts listened to by tens of millions, the #trancefamily hashtags trending all over Twitter, and the set rips distributed enthusiastically via just about every direct download service known to man. The celebrations for the 500th episode of the already hugely successful ‘A State of Trance’ radio show have been a marketing triumph for Armin van Buuren and the Armada Records juggernaut, with five massive events taking place across Johannesburg, Miami, Buenos Aires and Dutch city Den Bosch. With the climactic event descending on Sydney’s spectacular Acer Arena, the city’s trance faithful were locked and loaded for a party to remember.

ASOT 500 Sydney

The punters filtered into the arena nice and early at 9pm to witness upcoming US DJ/producer Shogun warming up the crowd nicely with a well-received set of progressive trance. Local dance promoter Future Entertainment’s setup lived up to the spectacle we’d witness from the other cities - giant circular lighting installations hovering over the dancefloor, a massive stage that put the DJ in the spotlight, flanked by the ASOT logo and several video screens, confetti exploding over the crowd at key moments and lights and lasers galore. Plus backstage, a radio studio hosted by Armin for most of the evening, keeping the millions of worldwide listeners in the loop.

ASOT 500 Sydney

Aussie golden boy Tydi was always a forgone conclusion for this party, himself not unlike a “baby Armin van Burren”, and he dropped a tightly-woven set of his trademark “prog-lite” trance that went down like a treat. With Menno De Jong stepping up next though, the excitement flattened out just a little. A lot of the internet chatter during ASOT 500 has labored on how creatively bereft many argue the trance scene is in 2011, and if there was ever a stage where the detractors seemed to have a point, then it was during Meno’s somewhat uninspiring set. Egyptian sensation Aly & Fila lifted the tempo up again next, just as heavy in driving beats and shrill acid as it was euphoric melodies, only let down by passable programming that occasionally reduced it to breakdown after breakdown after breakdown. German heavyweight Alex M.O.R.P.H was the evening’s biggest surprise though - driving the crowd to distraction with an intro that seemed to last for 10 minutes, the wildcard of Deadmau5’s FML eventually thundered across the arena - foreshadowing a choppy, rough around the edges set that brought a welcome touch of unpredictability.

ASOT 500 Sydney

Spot on at 3am, the master of ceremonies Armin van Buuren hit the stage, greeted by an appropriately grandiose intro and crowd response. What followed was a climactic 3-hour set to wrap up the 5-week extravaganza that both emphasised how far he’s moved towards a widely accessible sound, as well as demonstrating what an utterly untouchable showman and performer he is. Beginning with a hit of the vocal trance melodrama that featured so heavily on his Mirage album last year, and associated ‘Armin Only’ events, whether it was to your trance tastes or not, the execution was flawless, with the crowd gasping when he dropped into a deep patch around half an hour in that reminded us he’s always been about more than back-to-back anthems. As the tempo rose again, Armin could be seen bouncing around the stage and dancing with wild abandon, with an infectious energy and charisma that reverberated throughout the arena.

ASOT 500 Sydney

The evening’s finale was a perfectly-mixed home run of trance anthems, vocal mashups as well as plenty of unexpected moments, including a blinding hit of pumping tech trance in the final half that walloped the rapturous crowd right across the face. Finishing with a half-hour power trance drive that reached the end of the road with Going Wrong (and the associated singalong), Armin didn’t lose the crowd’s attention for a second and any cynicism had been dashed. Even if Armin’s transformation into a Guetta-style commercial powerhouse is nearly complete – he’s done it with crowd-pleasing panache that you just cannot fault, and this was a party worth staying until the very end.

Video Report

Website: ASOT 500 - Sydney | Future Entertainment]]> music entertainment Sun, 01 May 2011 15:04:00 +0200 BPM Festival 2011 - The Review
The 2011 BPM Festival opened with a bang on New Year’s Eve in Playa Del Carmen. The much-anticipated festival once again touched down in the idyllic beach resort town in Mexico for the 4th installment of an event that is now a regular feature in the global clubbing diary of DJs and partygoers alike.

Initially engendered as a conference, BPM has built year upon year to a level where now the crème of the DJ fraternity can be found spinning every night of the week, as well as spending their holidays in the sun. The event organizers have successfully fulfilled their mission statement of ‘escape the winter doldrums and head for the Mayan sun for beats and beach fun’ in 2011, with over 25,000 clubbers from across Canada, the United States and Europe flocking to the event for over 35 different day and night parties which hosted over 120 DJs spinning the finest dance music in an abundance of backdrops.

2011 BPM Festival

2011 was all about offering more bang for your buck, with the promoters essentially doubling up on the number events taking place both at day and night. The music policy is strictly house and techno and allows for a full spectrum of artists and promoters to visit and work within the format outlined by the BPM organizers. Like last year, a majority of the daytime parties centered around the hub of the festival: Kool Beach Bar. The dance area is set around a pool which effortlessly flows out onto the beach, and the immense sound system keeps partygoers grooving from morning to dusk daily. Notable highlights down at Kool were Space Miami head-honcho Louis Puig, Miami’s favorite adopted Frenchman Cedric Gervais, and also a surprise set from Davide Squillace and Dubfire, whose gigs at Brahma the preceding evening hit capacity. The fans just couldn’t get enough.

2011 BPM Festival

There were some big venue additions for the daytime parties too. Both Mamitas and Canibal Royal beach clubs are the kind of beach bars that you could wile away at all day. The addition of parties hosted by Culprit and No.19 Music, featuring the likes of Lee Foss, Jonny White of Art Department and Droog, as well as Mexico’s most internationally renowned imprint Akbal Music, put these venues on the map as a day time destination for many of the festival attendees. Not to mention spectacular DJ sets by Three and Lee Burridge, who filled in last-minute when Mr. C couldn’t make it.

From the daytime, partygoers could segue into the evening to continue at a number of parties in some really impressive and at times intimate venues. The Blue Parrot Beach Club (complete with sandy dancefloor) this year played host to some DJ heavyweights, and it was the parties hosted in this venue that really signaled the growing popularity of the event. Both the Richie Hawtin and Loco Dice parties were at-capacity, as fans sought entrance to the beach front club to witness their respective brands of techno and tech-house. The NYE event was also held here, with progressive house heavyweight Hernan Cattaneo playing to another sold-out crowd. Other nights included performances by big time house artists Laidback Luke and Swedish House Mafia don Steve Angello!

2011 BPM Festival

La Santanera’s boudoir-esque décor played host to the Air London duo of Nick Curly and Simon Baker playing a memorable night. The club also notably hosted Lee Burridge for a sold-out gig, and also a Kompakt Records party, with Michael Mayer and Superpitcher playing back to back!

Brahma was again a focus club for 2011, with Detroit innovator Stacey Pullen closing out the festival he has grown to love so much on the last night, and also the likes of Paul Ritch and Paco Osuna playing dancefloor-destroying sets. And who can forget Dubfire’s wildly packed gig, with partygoers dancing the night away, despite being hot and sweaty due to a broken air conditioner.

2011 BPM Festival

One of the highlights of the week was the party hosted by one of the top record labels of 2010: The Crosstown Rebels party at Alux Cave aka the ‘Rebel Rave in a Cave,’ which definitely provided an interesting backdrop, and a breathtaking night of music alongside the cave’s growing stalactites. The converted cave gave that literal underground feel, and a line up of Damian Lazarus, Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones, and Art Department meant the music complemented the strangely weird venue perfectly.

As always, there was a wide plethora of artists comprising the line up this year in an attempt to deliver something for all dance music aficionados. It’s official: The BPM Festival is exponentially growing, with an increasing fanbase and bigger lineups playing more diverse music at an expanding number of venues. The BPM Festival will definitely continue to fill the niche for wintertime sun-filled festivals for years to come.

Website: BPM Festival]]> music entertainment Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:20:00 +0100 Armin Only Mirage in Melbourne on NYE 2010 - The Review

Armin Only is Dutch trance powerhouse Armin van Buuren’s shot at doing something a little grander, a little more ambitious and a touch spectacular. It’s a nine-hour set that sees him selecting the tunes from the very moment the first punter walks through the door at 9pm, up until when they reach for the lasers for the final time before the lights come on at 6am; and that’s not even mentioning the posse of special guest vocalists and performers he brings along to help recreate some of those special ‘Armin’ moments.

The full ‘Armin Only’ experience ventured out Holland for the first time in 2008, for a limited run of events across the world that included two unforgettable events in Sydney and Melbourne, which have since been spoken of in hushed tones by those lucky enough to attend. With Armin keeping his crown as DJ Mag’s #1 DJ for a record fourth successive year in 2010, he also unveiled the next edition of ‘Armin Only’ with events in Holland, Argentina and Ukraine, and finally for New Years Eve – a party at the massive Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, the biggest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere that only weeks before hosted 70,000 punters for U2’s stupendous ‘360 Tour’.

While the evening didn’t draw quite as many punters as the Irish mega band, there were still tens of thousands of up-for-it punters trickling into the stadium during Armin’s warm-up set. The earliest arrivals were greeted with haunting washes of ambient sound, eventually punctuated with thundering percussion echoing through the stadium, leading into a selection of progressive trance from names like Gareth Emery and Nic Chagall, with Armin hidden from the crowd until the ‘big reveal’ at 11.30pm. This was when the visual screens and spectacular lighting fired up to full effect, with the dramatic MC that voices Armin’s A State of Trance radio show beckoning us into a bombastic 10-minute intro that fully recreated the opening track from his new Mirage album.

A singing siren was lowered from the ceiling like an acrobat, dancers strutted across the stage, flame-throwers lit up the crowd, Armin’s brother Eller van Buuren shredded a heavy metal guitar and was joined by a live drummer pounding his kit – it definitely wasn’t short on melodrama. Only one or two tunes later and we reached the midnight countdown, which saw us ushered into the New Year with Swedish House Mafia’s ‘One’.

One of the defining elements of ‘Armin Only’ are the guest vocalists, of course. The first performer to stroll into the spotlight was Rapture songstress Nadia Ali to perform Who Is Watching?, and for the duration of the evening we saw a sizeable chunk of the Mirage album recreated live. While previous ‘Armin Only’ experiences were more about taking the crowd on a nine-hour DJ journey, this time the ‘concert’ aspect took centre stage more than ever before. Christian Burns stepped up to perform This Light Between Us, as well as Sophie Ellis Bextor for Not Giving Up On Love, and seminal trance vocalist Susana for classics like Shivers.

However, for all that the concert bombast this time around, there were still the moments for the enthusiasts reminiscent of Armin’s progressive trance journeys of the past. Namely, when he punched out his whopping remix of Faithless’s Not Going Home, or tech trance classics like Sander van Doorn’s groundbreaking remix of Control Freak.

As we inched closer to 6am, fellow Dutch veteran Benno de Goeij from Rank 1 stepped up to perform alongside Armin for a whole host of classics – Airwave, For An Angel, Seven Cities and plenty more. If ‘Armin Only’ was lacking the deeper moments we saw last time, it more than compensated with more sing-a-long moments than you could poke a stick at. What more could you ask for on NYE?

Video from the Event

Website: Future Entertainment | Armin Van Buuren | Armin Only]]> music entertainment Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:56:00 +0100 Summafieldayze Gold Coast 2011 - The Review

While the northern hemisphere shivers between rugged-up runs from club to club, Australia enjoys an extended Summer festival season with an increasing reputation of a non-stop party population. At the peak of the Summer circuit, Summafieldayze plays out across the aptly named Gold Coast, an annual fixture of the post-hangover (or determined kick-on) of the New Year’s Eve overload.

As if on cue, the sun rides out in full force to welcome a top heavy line-up featuring the likes of David Guetta, N.E.R.D, Armin Van Buuren, Armand Van Helden and his equally infamous collaborator A-Trak. On the live act tip, Chromeo’s upbeat set is matched by the intensity of a full-band Trentemoller, and the local flavours of Miami Horror and Art Vs Science flying the Australian flag.

Eye Candy
Visually, the Summafieldayze spectacle is on a scale and intensity that is unmatched, ranging from the overwhelming wall of LED screens on the Summa stage, through to the tanned and fit Australians soaking up the sun on a strip of land between a beach on one side, and a harbour on the other. The multiple stage setup spreads the fashionable horde across the site, incorporating the cherished cooling mist and water tents, bustling bars, and more than a few embarrassing moments on the fun park rides.

The abundance of stages is more by necessity than design, with an enormous line-up that sees the likes of Claude Von Stroke kicking early in the afternoon, handing over to Dennis Ferrer who peppers a festival set with more than enough jacking House to get the purists in a sweat. A theme for the day, as a nearby Boys Noize pushes the tempo and temperature into the red. With the setting sun comes the arrival of festival favourite Armin Van Buuren, the cheers sweeping through the packed Summa stage. While Armin’s “Going Wrong” pulls the hands in the air for a singalong, the insistence of Faithless’ “Not Going Home” becomes the unofficial theme for an up-for-it party crowd.

A Dayze To The End
Equally anticipated are the dueling headliners of David Guetta and Justice, representing the diversity of the Australian festival scene to split equally between an inescapably joyous set at Guetta’s hands, or an extreme wall of sound under the laced boots of Justice. For Guetta, there are genuine tears during a lights-out request to raise every mobile phone in the air, resulting in a sparkling landscape of iPhones blinking into the night. A live auto-tune vocal leads into the ever increasing list of hits, and the chorus of voices in “I Gotta Feeling” warms all but the hardest of hearts. Those were of course, already across on the Field stage with a pair of mad Frenchmen.

If Justice’s Xavier de Rosnay appeared relaxed during an all-day side of stage viewing of the likes of Erol Alkan, his game face drops for the finale. While not the full live show, the DJ set is armed to assault all the same, rolling out a dizzying mix summed up by the trainspotters attempting to follow “Block rocking Beats” of The Chemical Brothers fame into the Dizzy Rascal sampled “The Big Beat” by Billy Squire, before ramming into “Da Funk” by a pair of French robots. The eclectic mix, reminiscent of a pair of DJ’ing Belgian brothers, slams to a halt all too soon for those of us hanging off of every beat. As another incredible Summerfieldayze winds up for the year, I add my grin to the waves of smiles sliding out into the night, already counting down until next year as the tall tales and kick-on questing begins in earnest.

Summadayze 2011 - Highlights Reel

Website: Summadayze 2011 | Future Entertainment]]> music entertainment Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:58:00 +0100 MICS 2010 - The Review MICS - Monaco International Clubbing Show

MICS - Monaco International Clubbing Show

For its first edition, the MICS made headlines by creating a 15-meter high structure with giant disco balls placed above a never-seen-before Monster Energy tank/DJ booth. The combination illuminated the entrance plaza of the Grimaldi Forum and set the tone for many ecstatic visitors. 10,000 m2 of business, demonstration, conferences and exchanges have contributed to make the MICS a landmark event as well as a unique meeting platform for the nightlife industry leaders.

Within three days, the MICS transformed the Grimaldi Forum into a gigantic nightclub where heads from the world’s leading nightlife companies, as well as the largest beverages brands and the most prominent events managers and artists gathered to talk business and plan ahead for the coming year in a festive atmosphere. In addition, we were honoured to receive HSH Prince Albert II during the inauguration ceremony, which was promptly followed by a personalized tour of the premises conducted by MICS CEO Richard Borfiga.

MICS

In total, no less than 10,134 professionals from the industry as well as 100 brands from 28 countries came to present, discover and share new products, ideas. The Ravel area was definitely one of the highlights of the exhibition where visitors had the opportunity to visit the elite of the nightlife industry and clubs such as VIP Room (France), Sankeys (UK), Blue Marlin Ibiza (Spain) or Soho Rooms (Russia) whilst sipping carefully crafted cocktails from the finest beverages brands such as Bacardi, who organized a spectacular flair bartending competition at the heart of the exhibition. More than 200 prestigious media partners including DJMag, E! Entertainment and Fox TV brought live coverage of the MICS whilst Radio Monaco broadcasted their radio show from the media center with many exceptional guests.

On the lower Diaghilev space, the spotlight was set on lighting, sound and new technologies with many leading brands armed with their latest products. Italian lighting company Clay Paky and Energy Group dazzled with their moving heads whilst Funktion One and Sennheiser provided a true acoustic experience. Visitors then relaxed at the Activision booth and learned how to mix to the rhythm of the latest hit game DJ Hero 2. Moreover, we are pleased to announce that Energy Group (Italy) has won the Ciribelli Award for being the most complete stand specialized in sound light and also for the design of the stand itself. Conferences organized by Futuria Production were held nearby and included a large panel of high quality speakers such as DJ Joachim Garraud, Toolroom Knights label founder Stuart Knight and owner of Sankeys Manchester David Vincent, which was recently voted number 1 club in the world by DJMag’s top 100 poll.

On the top floor, guests could admire the splendid view offered from “The Cloud”, the exclusive area specifically designed by brands Moët & Chandon and Belvedere Vodka.

MICS

Each night, the conclusion of the exhibition marked the beginning of the true party side of the event and the launch of the much-anticipated ephemeral nightclub: the MICS Club. Created and produced by world-famous venues Palais Club Cannes, Billionaire Porto Cervo and Sass Café Monte-Carlo, the club experienced immense success and record-breaking attendance throughout the three days where the world’s hottest DJs such as Avicii, Bob Sinclar or Joachim Garraud set the dancefloor on fire.

But the action was not just concentrated around the Grimaldi Forum; the entire Principality danced to the rhythm of the MICS! Through 33 night parties and side-events organized in our partner venues Black Legend, Brasserie de Monaco and Jimmy’z, the event attracted a large international audience; an unprecedented feat during the fall period. One of the highlights was the Feadz and Boys Noize party who both conquered the luxurious Jimmy’z nightclub with their unique Franco-German sound. The sensational FMX show organized by Monster Energy gathered more than 6,000 enthusiasts on the port of Monaco.

MICS

With live DJs spinning atop the Monster tank, the world’s top motocross riders including Edgar Torronteras, Nate Adams, Adam Jones and Remi Bizouard offered spectators a breathtaking spectacle, which was concluded by an improvised beat box performance by Torronteras. Celebrities, DJs, designers and industry leaders attended the FG DJ Awards, which was undoubtedly one of the most glamorous parties of the MICS. Whilst the ceremony was presented by Antoine Baduel, the packed audience greeted the likes of Chuckie and Jean-Roch.

Photos courtesy of MICS]]> music entertainment Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:46:00 +0100 Amsterdam Dance Event sold out success 2010

The fifteenth edition of the Amsterdam Dance Event, the world's leading electronic music festival and conference, has once again broken all records. From 20 to October 23 112,000 festival visitors from all around the world visited Amsterdam to enjoy the immense festival program while 2,500 conference delegates from 58 different countries attended the most important conference for electronic music.

Biggest club festival in the world
During the four day festival, visitors were able to choose from a wide range of 165 events at a record breaking number of 44 different stages. Venues that participated in the program include Air, Bimhuis, Escape, Flex Bar, Hotel Arena, Jimmy Woo, Melkweg, NDSM, Ocean Diva, OT310, Panama, Paradiso, Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, The Powerzone, Studio 80, Sugar Factory and the Supperclub.

Some highlights in the program were: Kelis (US), Armin van Buuren (NL), Sven Väth (DE), Chuckie (NL), Dave Clarke (GB), Sasha (GB), Paul van Dyk (DE), Fedde Le Grand (NL), Roger Sanchez (US), Joris Voorn (NL), Daniel Haaksman (DE), Boys Noize (DE), Dubfire (US), Richie Hawtin (CA), M.A.N.D.Y. (DE), C-Mon & Kypski (NL), Riva Star (IT), Adam Beyer (SE), Ida Engberg (SE), Steve Bug (DE), Josh Wink (US), Carl Craig (US), Markus Schulz (DE), Ferry Corsten (NL), Jeff Mills (US), Todd Terry (US), Afrojack (NL), Chris Liebing (DE), Goldfish live (SA), Stacey Pullen (US), Joost van Bellen (NL), Moodymann (US), Derrick May (US), Sander Kleinenberg (NL) and many others. In total 700 DJs and acts performed during the ADE.

Amsterdam Dance Event Panel Discussion

International Golden Gnome Awards
Kicking off the ADE were the International Golden Gnome Awards. This award show, in the Netherlands known as the 'Gouden Kabouters'; the Dutch award ceremony for the dance scene, made its international debut this year. The ceremony awarded the international dance scene with a 'Golden Gnome', accompanied by a dose of well-known Dutch humour. Winners include Armin van Buuren ('most popular international DJ), Dr. Lektroluv ('best dressed DJ), Mysteryland ('best international festival'), Miss Fuzzy ('most promising new Dutch talent') and Richie Hawtin ('favourite international DJ'). For the complete list of winners visit Golden Gnome Awards

Amsterdam Dance Event 2010

Most important conference for electronic music
Besides the huge club festival ADE offers an important business platform for the international music industry. Four days packed with panels, discussions, networking events and presentations on the developments, future and further professionalization of the dance scene took place in a completely sold out Felix Meritis and The Dylan Hotel Amsterdam. 2,500 music professionals from 58 countries attended the conference, where topics discussed included Music Creation, Production and Performance on New Platforms, The Future of Direct to Fan Marketing, 25 Years of Detroit Techno, The Do's and Don'ts of Digital Promo, Disintegrating Genres and PR's - Science or Fiction.

Amsterdam Dance Event 2010

ADE Next: platform for new talent
ADE also offered a special program for the new generation of DJs and producers: ADE Next. On ADE's Saturday DJs and producers were able to get in contact with a large international network of artists, A&R managers and programmers, and to get familiar with the business side of the dance scene, focusing on topics as copyright, social networking, music production and event management.

Amsterdam Dance Event 2010

Facts & figures
The ADE managed to break all previous records, welcoming a record breaking 112,000 festival and 2,500 conference visitors.

Festival visitors 112.000
Conference visitors 2.500 (sold out)
ADE Next visitors 400 (sold out)
Nationalities 58
Artists 700+
Clubs/venues 44
Journalists & Media 264

More information: ADE
Photographs: Mike Breeuwer, Aico Lind & Roy Laros en Guido van de Zanden]]> music entertainment Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:47:00 +0200 Warung Ibiza - The review

With techno and a more progressive led sound firmly on the agenda for this Wednesdays bash, the true atmosphere of Warung could possible be felt as a lineup including house veteran Behrouz, the SOS collective and Oliver Lang take to the stage.

As the night took shape and the curious clubbers managed to actually take in the spectacular party vibes, the sound slowly became more exciting and rhythmic. As with most large clubs we were regularly treated to huge effects breaks, but unlike many of its island counterparts were positively followed by funky feel good tracks that screamed of Brazil – or at least the Brazil I have read about…

While the S.O.S collective crafted those unmistakable melodies a quick glace round the cavernous venue shows numerous nods to the details that created their preserved party paradise. While many club nights on the island are miserably rolling up their banners, cramming pathetic décor between boxes of tabs into their suitcases for the dreary flight back to the UK, Warung have cut no corners with impressive almost theatrical production, a sign that Warung and its carnival vibe is here to stay.

As New York’s Behrouz sliced together classics and modern club beats, there was even the distinct impression that he was enjoying things more than any person there. Wednesdays at Privilege seem to be constantly celebrating and capturing the magic of Brazil’s ultimate beach club and tonight Warung have put together an exceptional representation of just what makes its elder Brazilian brother a favorite in so many dj’s eyes.

A quick glance into the second room confirmed that further components to the night were firmly in place, with a major collection of underground talent on display. Hosted by Secretsundaze; Brothers Vibe alongside the London duo of James Priestly and Giles Smith created a deep, almost subterranean early evening vibe only too familiar with the long-running London establishment. A perfect pick of deep numbers and time honored house tracks complimented what Brothers Vibe does best, finding a groove and running it into the ground.

Warung Brazil to me has always been a bit of a magical mysterious thing, a destination that’s staggeringly absent or insignificant on most peoples clubbing maps. Despite this - Warung’s arrival on the island is undoubtedly welcomed with big sweaty sunburnt arms. In just four weeks Warung has showcased some of the biggest live sets and underground names you’re likely to ever find across Europe and the UK.

Review: Warung - Privilege Ibiza 28.07.2010
Written by: Jennifer Oztoplu
Playing : Behrouz, The S.O.S. Collective (Desyn Masiello / Omid 16B / Demi) & Oliver Lang
Hosted by Secretsundaze: Brothers Vibe, James Priestly, Giles Smith & Oriol Calvo]]> music entertainment Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:20:00 +0200 The Gumball 3000 - Artists, Cars and Fun

Most people are familiar with Gumball 3000 Rally, but very fewer has ever experienced it in person. Even fewer people have taken part in the rally. The 12th Annual 2010 Gumball 3000 Rally started in London at the Pall Mall on the 1st of May and took the participants on a road trip to Amsterdam, Holland - Copenhagen, Denmark - Stockholm, Sweden - Boston, Usa - Quebec, Canada - Toronto, Canada - New York, Usa.

So, what does Gumball have to do with music?
The Gumball 3000 Rally attracts a lot of people, who are willing, to pay an entrance fee of around 30.000 GBP to be a part of this unique rally. This is where music artists, actors, business men and petrol heads come in. In this years rally we saw Xzibit, DJ Fingaz, DJ Muggs, Eve, DJ Sharam (Deep Dish), Maximillion Copper, Tony Hawk, Bun B, Jon Olsson, Mike "Rooftop" Escamilla, John Dale, Jesse Fritsch, Brett Landes, Matt Landes, Michael Madsen, Jade Jagger, Ezra Chapman, Steve Goldfield, Alexandre Teplitxky, Moe, Matt n Moth, Buttsy Butler, Idris Elba, Erik & Mackan and many more.

Gumball 3000 Rally 2010

Music, Parties, Fast Cars and beautiful people are in perfect synchrony during the Gumball and the participants over the years have shown again and again that music and Gumball are one. Past music related participants have been : Travis Barker (Blink 182), Swizz Beats, DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill), Mario, The Enemy, Avenged Sevenfold, Placebo, Happy Mondays, Goldie, Dannii Minogue[, DJ Ghost, Jay Kay (Jamiroquai), Sandi Denton (Pepa of Salt-n-Pepa), Mark Berry (aka Bez), Kym Mazelle and not to be forgotten Ministry of Sound which sponsored the rally in 2006. We all know Ministry of Sound as one of the biggest clubbing brands in the world, if not the biggest, with many commitments around the world, but mainly music and club oriented ventures. Will the future hold any sponsorship by other clubbing and music brands like Ministry of Sound?

Gumball 3000 Rally 2010

The Roots
The inspiration for Gumball comes from back when in 1933 legendary motorcycle racer Mister Baker, had crossed the United States coast-to-coast in 54 hours, earning him the nickname Cannonball. He had had an annual race ever since 1914 (when he needed 11 days), and bettered his time ever since. In the 1970s motor journalist Brock Yates of Car and Driver magazine had started the Cannonball Baker Sea To Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash in honour of Cannonball. The first race was held on April 1, 1971, and first prize was a Gumball dispenser.

Gumball 3000 Rally 2010

The first race was won by Yates and Dan Gurney, former race driver for Formula One and Le Mans, who drove a Ferrari. They needed about 35 hours from New York to L.A. These events inspired the 1976 movies "The Gumball Rally" and "Cannonball", as well as sequels such as "Cannonball Run", "Cannonball Run 2". The original Gumball race was finally cancelled in 1979.

Gumball 3000 Rally 2010

Drawing inspiration from the 1970s race, the movies "Two-Lane Blacktop", "Vanishing Point", "Bullitt" and Le Mans, Maximillion Cooper started the modern edition of the game in the summer of 1999. Gumball 3000 has since gained the reputation as road race for the modern era and has captured the attention. With celebrity participation the public have been brought closer to the race by witnessing it on everything from MTV to reading about it in Vanity Fair. Gumball 3000 - Isn't a Race, It's a Rally.

Gumball 3000 Rally 2010

Some of the funniest moments during the 2010 Gumball 3000 Rally
DJ Sharam (Deep Dish) managed to get 5 tickets in one day and to top all things off it was within the borders of New York City. Here is what he had to say : I think we broke all Gumball ticket records with 5 in one day! Here is the punchline: not ONE was for speeding! We got them for Seatbelt, Cell phone use, Lack of insurance card, Failure to yield to public and, a bad start? Last 3 were for the Burnout in Time Square.

Xzibit managed two (2) speeding tickets and one (1) breathalyser test in Sweden alone, in one (1) day and his partner in crime, DJ Fingaz, caught it all on tape, which you can see below.

Xzibit & Speeding in Sweden

Some Dutch TopGear program

Chasing the Gumball 3000 NYC 2010

All credits for the pictures goes to these Flickr users : Eliyas J, Crsan, Sledhockeystar7, Rick Overhof, Pixelklinik, Nils.G.Photography, António Lopes, C0LL1 and Zanmato FFX]]> music entertainment Mon, 10 May 2010 20:58:00 +0200 BPM Festival 2010 - The Review
Start as you mean to go on is a mantra that instructs one to begin a new enterprise by acting and sounding as if it were already a success. And visitors to Playa Del Carmen for the first week of 2010 have been sleeping easily knowing that they have set the bar for clubbing for the next decade extremely high.

Now in its third year the BPM Festival has steadily been establishing itself as a ‘must-do’ on the clubbing calendar and with a strap line and mission statement of ‘escape the winter doldrums and head for the Mayan sun for beats and beach fun’ it is little wonder the festival has been attracting not only clubbers from across Canada, the United States and Europe, but also artists at the forefront of electronic music.

BPM Festival 2010

More than 20,000 party goers descended on the resort town of Playa Del Carmen over the course of the 10 day event this year. And with a seemingly impossible schedule of 30 parties meaning an almost 24 hour party policy which comprises 70 DJs spinning the best of house and techno in an abundance of backdrops, including the miles of white sandy Caribbean facing beaches, it is hardly surprising the festival is gathering an increasingly substantial army of followers year on year.

The music policy is strictly house and techno and allows for a full spectrum of artists and promoters to visit and work within the format outlined buy the BPM organisers. This year most of the day parties were held at the Kool beach resort beginning at around brunch time and running through to 8 or 9pm. The dance area is set around a pool which flows out onto the beach. The sound, supplied by Acoustic Project, was more than up to scratch for an external system and could be heard for some distance outside the resort. Daily parties at the beach included clubbing mecca Space Miami fronted by Luis Puig and Frenchman Cedric Gervais; a party with Cielo resident Nicolas Matar and Californian based Marques Wyatt and a whole host of upcoming stars from the Canadian and New York underground scene including Nitin Kaylan, Monsieur Cedric, dance temptress Lauren Lane and the nefarious Michelangelo among others. And with the likes of dance music monolith Hed Kandi in attendance one can begin to see why BPM is holding its weight on the global festival scene.

BPM Festival 2010

Elsewhere parties were held in the lavish surroundings of the Blucacao Beach Club which meant a short complimentary bus trip outside of the normal party zone, and saw the likes of Jojo Flores playing out he soulful take on house music. The Freak N Chic Label party brought Parisian favourites Shonky, Anthony Collins and Steve Letigre’s deep house across the Atlantic whilst Brazil’s Ana Paula brought a little carnival style flair and samba flavoured house music.

From the day one could segue into the evening to continue the party at a number of parties in some really impressive and at times intimate venues. The Blue Parrot beach club (complete with sand inside) was decked up to the nines to complement its beach front location with giant fluorescent jellyfish and electronic visuals to the same effect. This was the setting for nights headlined by the legendary Dubfire who brought his jet-black polished-chrome techno; purveyor of dark twisted house Steve Lawler; and global phenomenon Steve Angello.

Brahma club with its spacecraft lighting feature played host to Air London’s Nick Curly and Simon Baker. Curly’s fast growing profile was further enhanced as his Mannheim sound went down a storm following Baker’s tech house explosion. Sander Kleinenberg also delivered a memorable set here on the opening night which set the tone for the week.

La Santanera’s boudoir-esque décor played host to parties headed up by NYC tribal and techno titan Victor Calderone, Israeli techno export Guy Gerber, second-wave Detroit don Stacey Pullen, and even late addition to the programming British born Lee Burridge!

BPM Festival 2010

A wide plethora of artists comprised the line up this year in an attempt to deliver something for all dance music aficionados. And staying true to their roots the programmers deliver a fantastic mix of high profile DJs whilst supporting the up and coming artists from America and Canada.

For those who prefer to operate outside of the ‘hardcore party goer’ realm the BPM Festival and Playa Del Carmen offer a host of ‘extra-cirricular’ activities for those who wish to supplement their trip. Many visitors take advantage of the phenomenal diving opportunities on offer along the Mayan Riveria, and a short drive south of Playa are the breathtaking Mayan ruins near Tulum which serve as a perfect respite from the festival for many attendees.

Being perfectly situated 45 minutes from tourist hotspot Cancun, Playa Del Carmen is a perfect blend of traditional welcoming Mexican community mixed with the right amount Americanisation to make visitors feel at home away from home. Recognisable commercial outposts such as Starbucks and Burger King sit easily next to family run Mexican eateries that serve up the tastiest of Mexican cooking including perhaps the best burritos to guacamole.

BPM Festival 2010

The BPM Festival enjoys an easy relationship with the locals as the opening welcome note from the local Mayor in the festival programme attests. And with VIP passes not only including entrance to 30+ events during the BPM Festival (with VIP entrance and VIP Stage Access) but also VIP discounts at local stores & restaurants in Playa del Carmen you begin to realise that this does not have to be bank busting trip.

As Steve Lawler said following his third BPM set ‘it was insane, has an amazing vibe, with beautiful people. The BPM Festival is now an annual event for VIVa MUSiC and myself, see you next year” – if you have not already, we suggest you join him.

Website: BPM Festival
Photos by: Liam Cushing]]> music entertainment Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:58:00 +0100 Justice and Cassius present Club 75, Pacha Ibiza Club 75 at Pacha Ibiza

The hip hopper’s on-stage temper-tantrum ensured their notoriety to an audience that might never have noticed them otherwise. This, too, seemed to slide off their skinny, black-leather-bound shoulders. Justice marched on. From hipster parties in dingy Paris nightclubs, to manic main stage gigs at Sonar by Night, to international tours with audiences writhing in near-tearful devotion – they’ve done it all.

This makes their arrival at Pure Pacha highly incongruous. Pacha prides itself on sophistication and as much gentility as becomes a discotheque. It isn’t a natural destination for raving teenagers waving white crosses and homemade “Justice” banners. Tonight they are joined by Cassius, completing the French twist on the evening. On the corner, just past the main entrance a group of youngsters is swigging bottled drinks.

This is typical behaviour outside other clubs, but at Pacha you almost expect one of the doormen to lumber down and have a word. No one does though. There is plenty of merriment in the warm air, and the kind of good natured jostling that happens in high-spirited queues. Judging by the snippets of conversation running Justice fan base travels well: Italian, Spanish, French and a fair portion of English voices ring out. Everyone is fidgeting to the hint of the kick drum oozing through the dense walls.
Club 75 at Pacha Ibiza

By the time we scramble inside there is a mini rush for the dancefloor. Any latent concerns about how Justice’s cheeky style and flamboyant showmanship will fit in the calm lines of Pacha vanishes in a moment. The booth – always a hive of activity – is a veritable swarm, with enough arms flailing through the dry ice to look as if it’s been taken over by an impatient octopus. Justice and Cassius are playing back to back, moving so fast it seems as if there surely must be more than four of them. On the dancefloor an enthusiastic moil keeps pace with the hyperactive display in the DJ box, swishing and pitching from side to side with giddy abandon. Girls in boutique dresses have bade farewell to propriety and are dancing manically. One, actually around her handbag – ironically, we hope.

Justice’s knowing melange of electro, pop (including Janet Jackson!) and the odd stonking guitar riff is perfectly gender balanced: the boys are stomping away with equal concentration. Somehow, they engage the crowd without seeming to pay it much attention. Xavier, small and perky as a meerkat, bobs up from behind the decks to cheer the floor; Gaspard’s most demonstrative moment is a smile and half-wave when someone thrusts a mobile phone up at him, yet they are in perfect harmony with the crowd. The gurgling pop of ‘D.A.N.C.E.’ whips up a storm, and a tough, techno-tinged track gets just as much of a hearty response.

Tonight, Justice – with a little help from their friends, Cassius – demonstrates perfectly why the are who they are: every expectation broken, every rule bent and everyone dancing towards dawn with a smile on their face.

Text: Cila Warncke
Photos: Sebastian Desbats]]> music entertainment Sun, 20 Sep 2009 11:35:00 +0200 Paul Oakenfold at Pure Pacha - The Review

Chandeliers float elegantly above an impenetrable fog of dry ice. It puffs away in a cool breath letting the light fall on a sea of upturned faces. “This is Pure Pacha!” Sander Kleinenberg whoops from the DJ box, raising both fists in salute.

The girl next to me bursts into a flurry of elbow-popping motion as Sander slams on a remix of We Are Your Friends that thunders across the dance floor like a charge of the Valkyries. Pure Pacha is the quintessential Friday night party in Ibiza – a mélange of music, spectacle and moments that simply wouldn’t happen anywhere else.

Tonight the sense of anticipation is as thick as the smell of cologne because none other than Paul Oakenfold is due on the decks soon. One of the original superstar DJs, Oakie “discovered” Ibiza in 1986 and floated back to London to kick-start the acid house revolution.

There is a gradually thickening clot of clubbers around the DJ booth, edging closer in anticipation of his set. Even Sander seems to have caught the fan-club feel, skittering around the booth like a hyperactive kid, clapping, giving a photographer the thumbs-up, pouring champagne.

Paul Oakenfold at Pure Pacha

Suddenly a boy dives past me, camera phone aloft to snap Oakie descending upon the DJ box. He has flown in for the night from his “day job” as Madonna’s official tour DJ. A lot of DJs probably wouldn’t bother taking the time to play for a couple of thousand fans after rocking stadiums night after night, but the huge grin on Paul’s face says it all: he’s home.

A flutter of fingers reach upwards and he hangs over the edge of the booth to grab and shake the waiting hands. Sander lets the music drop. The lights lower then remerge on a trio of stunning dancers who slither up onto the podiums, trailing a sea of sequins as the crowd ripples with excitement. Alice in Wonderland never saw anything like this.

A wooden hatch opens beneath the stairs and two waiters pop up like surreal rabbits, carrying vast trays of iced glasses and bottles of vodka. No one is paying any attention, though. Every ear is tuned in impatient glee for the first shimmying wave off sound to crash over the room. The bass rumbles as a looped vocal intones: “welcome to Perfecto.”

Paul Oakenfold at Pure Pacha

A palpable crackle of energy sparks across the room and suddenly everyone who has come to remember forgets – forgets what year it is, where they are, mostly likely who they’re with. The only thing that matters is the music lifting the club to the stratosphere and Oakie bopping at the controls, controlling the speed and altitude of the flight.

Someone reaches up to pass him a CD. He pulls a jokey pose behind the decks. For a few hours, 2009 can be 1989… a pure celebration of sound and motion.]]> music entertainment Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:39:00 +0200 International Music Summit - A resounding success IMS - International Music Summit

The second Ibiza International Music Summit was declared a resounding success as its Grand Finale drew to a close. This finale gig saw headliners Basement Jaxx thrill crowds at an open-air concert at a packed Dalt Villa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has never before been allowed to host a contemporary music event. They were joined by Filthy Dukes, host Pete Tong and Rob da Bank.
The conference attracted nearly 400 delegates from 29 countries, up by 30% on the first year (IMS launched in 2008). Including invited speakers from around the world there were over 450 of the leading executives in the global electronica business present.

As one esteemed speaker, Juan Vandervoort from K7! Records, Germany put it: An industry known for producing innovative music, finally also has an innovative conference.

At the end of most panels and during a special IMS Vote quick fire experiment, complete with digital voting devices, delegates were asked to vote on a number of key issues. 45% of delegates believed the Spotify model would not work for electronic music, 63% thought it's not possible to reverse the trend of free music, and 73% voted against signing 360 degree deals. 69% of the panel audience agreed that the IMS made them question the way their companies work! (full results below).

The results of the votes, together with key action points from the panels will also help shape a 20-point action plan to help the sector navigate the year ahead. This will be announced by the IMS shortly.

Questions were also voted on by consumers via the leading dance site Beatportal, with 80% of voters arguing the electronica business doesn't need the majors to thrive. Electronic pioneer Tom Middleton was on hand to blog live throughout the entire event.

Alfredo, DJ Pippi, DJ E.A.S.E (Nightmares On Wax) were to provide the DJ soundtrack for our lucky delegates and The Grial formed the backdrop for debates to be continued long into the evening, with label showcases from Rekids, Toolroom, Cr2, Pacha Recordings and Barraca Music and featured DJs such as Radio Slave, Andrew Grant, Mark Knight, Sarah Main and MYNC.

As the conference drew to a close, a humbled Jason Bentley, Musical Director of Santa Monica's influential KCRW, was selected as winner of the IMS PIONEER AWARD 2009 for outstanding dedication to business. He was selected by IMS partners and Pioneer, for his continued work at pushing electronic music on the highest platforms from KCRW to his music supervision work.

Jason Bentley: I am honored to be the recipient of the IMS Pioneer Award 2009. We all believe in the power and promise of music to make a better world, and it's thoughtful gestures like this that help further inspire and motivate everyone involved. Here's to the ever expanding horizons of dance and electronic music, and the continued success of the International Music Summit.

Ben Turner: Jason is a true champion of this genre into mainstream circles, from his work with music placement in films and brands, his work with the Grammy Awards, and of course now taking over the breakfast show on KCRW and continually using his influence to promote what's best about our genre. The event is all about promoting the people behind the scenes and the hard work they do to make a difference. There is nobody who deserves more attention that Jason Bentley.

IMS launched with a powerful opening Key Note from Marc Marot, formerly head of Island Records and manager to Paul Oakenfold. His speech about the dinosaurs of the industry remained fresh in people's minds right to the closing Key Note interview with iconic pioneer Richie Hawtin who stated that 'many people in the room are still acting like dinosaurs'. His talk offered huge inspiration about the technological possibilities electronic music has to play with, and challenged the delegates that, despite their 'vote' to the contrary, they are "not in touch with their youth".
Hawtin singled out for praise 19-year old fellow speaker Callum Negus Fancey from Let's Go Crazy, an underage phenomenon in the UK with his large scale dance parties. Fancey's words sent shockwaves through the audiences with his attack on how record companies and brands fail to market properly to their future audience. All IMS panels and debates can be found exclusively on the IMS You Tube.

Another highlight was the creation of the IMS anthem by Dirty Vegas, which they created live in support of AIDS charity Dance4Life. The anthem was then passed on to producer legends, Above and Beyond who remixed it live in front of the delegates. The Get Tested Auction on behalf of the Hepatitis C Trust truly benefited from some crazed bidding on an eclectic set of lots which included a Pete Doherty blood painting (raising over €5,000) whilst other lots included a signed Goldie poster, Anna Mantronix’s (Scissor Sisters) first tour dress and a Pam Hogg cat-suit.

IMS partner and BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong states: It was an incredible second year. We've raised the bar with the summit, and now with the Grand Finale which is one of my proudest moments in this business. To see such an event in Ibiza was inspirational. IMS brought together veterans and virgins - from Ted Cohen to Callum Negus Fancey, this was a true melting pot of ideas and visions for the future.

The IMS Vote - full results:

1 Do electronic artists need labels in the Beatport era?

Yes: 76.5%

2 Are hype charts still relevant to this business?

No: 53%

3 Is piracy still a major threat to your business?

Yes: 70.4%

4 Is it possible to reverse the trend of "free" music to the consumer?

No: 62%

5 Do you now accept that 'mobile has become the social fabric of youth'

Yes: 80%

6 Will the Spotify streaming model work for the electronic music industry?

Yes: 55%

7 Does radio ultimately still rule?

Yes: 65%

8 Would you welcome a new DJ Top 100 style chart based on actual audience figures?

Yes: 76%

9 Is good festival billing now critical to the success of a breaking artist?

Yes: 62%

10 Should DJs aged over 50 be forced to retire from playing in nightclubs?

No: 63%

11 Do you feel electronic music is properly acknowledged by the wider music business?

No: 65%

12 Is the electronic music scene more comfortable as an industry sitting outside of mainstream attention and focus?

Yes: 69%

13 Would you buy the new Cocoon release (for example) if it was only available only from CocaCola.com?

No: 58%

14 Is the recession affecting your business?

Yes: 62%

15 Can you honestly say that you are in touch with the new generation of music lovers?

Yes: 70%

16 Do you consider Ibiza the capital of global electronic music?

Yes / No: 50% split vote

Recount - Yes: 52%

17 Should the IMS stay in Ibiza?

Yes: 96%

18 Should the IMS remain a boutique gathering?

Yes: 64%

19 Is this event making you question the way you / your company works?

Yes: 69%

20 Do you feel you now have a voice in the future of your industry?)

Yes: 86%]]> music entertainment Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:39:00 +0200 South East European Music Event 2008
“SeeMe is a unique mixture of business and pleasure. Interesting panels, great place for networking and meeting new people. This is exactly what the booming Eastern European territories needs. A promise to the future.” - Kim de Jong, Krafty, Netherlands

Taking place from 5th – 7th June at the Historic Central Military Club, SeeMe is the main event in the region for industry professionals and music fans alike to join together, exchange ideas and keep up-to-date with the latest trends and developments.

The rain did not dampen our spirits as we arrived during a torrential downpour at Sofia airport, as we were greeted by the smiling faces of the SeeMe team. We were promptly whisked away to a restaurant called Opera which was a very grand restaurant/bar, before heading to the hotel for a good nights sleep to prepare for the conference and parties that lay ahead. The hotel was a new boutique hotel called the Kolikovski, which was ideally located in the city centre and within walking distance from the all the major attractions making it the perfect place to stay during the conference.

Up bright and early to register at the conference to collect our passes and goodie bag, it was straight into the welcome and key note speech from Nick Halkes, from Incentive. It’s always good to see key industry people taking part in these events and helping new scenes develop and grow.

The SeeMe team were incredibly hospitable and I found it exciting and rewarding to be hearing new music and meeting new people in a region of the world that shouldn't be overlooked enthused Nick.

There were many interesting panels during the conference covering topics such as how to release a track and make it successful in a digital age, the power of media in promoting music and how to break in the International Markets. There was also a heated round table discussion about copyright and illegal download sites which was interesting as they have much bigger problems with illegal downloads than in Western Europe. After all that talking the final day of the conference was all about the music, with hands on workshops from DJ equipment companies such as Ableton, Kam and Pioneer who gave live demos and invited the audience to get involved and have a go. The highlight was the listening session, where producers put their tracks in a box during the event for them to be listened to and commented on by the panel which included Barbara Tucker/USA, Eddie Halliwell/UK, Jesse Voorn/NL and Paul Woolford/UK.

"SeeMe shows that they definitely know what dance is all about in Eastern-Europe. They kicked some unbelievable ass and it was my pleasure to be involved." - DJ Jesse Voorn.

Following each day of panels and networking the clubs of Sofia opened their doors to all delegates and party people. The main event on the opening night was at Yalta with live performances from Keith Thompson, Barbara Tucker and local songstress Maria Ilieva. The highlight was a duet by Keith and Maria, who they met at last years SeeMe and decided to produce some tracks together, which is a great example of the connections that can be made at the event. Other parties worth checking included Jesse Saunders at Mascara, Freeze Magazine party at Bubbles and the Hit Beat Records party at Life House.

After being eased into things gradually, Friday took things up a gear with DJ’s from all over South East Europe taking to the clubs and showing off their skills behind the decks. The highlight was Marco Carola at the Escape club with the party continuing till well after day break.

The finale on Saturday with the first edition of the SeeMe Awards, which was held in the grand ballroom at the Central Military Club. The winners were revealed in 17 categories covering everything from best DJ to Best Event. And everything in between. It was great to see talent from all over the region being rewarded with winners from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. There also had local and international artists and industry professionals presenting awards as well at the city’s Major.

And after all the celebrations what better way to continue the party than at the SeeMe official party which was held at the newly renovated subway infront of the central station. It was an amazing outdoor space with 3 different stages. DJ’s included Jeff Mills, Eddie Halliwell and Paul Woolford who rocked the main stage with clubbers dancing around an enormous fountain in the centre of the dancefloor. Meanwhile local DJ’s and Drum & Bass Arena crew had it going off under the Subway.

“The event and road trip is legendary already – what a fantastic event – with the most fantastic crowd – the energy was awesome and the vibe was pure party” - Drum & Bass Arenas Karl Neilson.

As the sun began to rise it was time to head to the afterparty at Chervillo which is one of the most popular clubs in Sofia and has a pretty outdoor terrace for chilling and chatting. It was the ideal place to end the event with everyone who didn’t have an early morning re-united after making their way from other clubs and parties.

SeeMe has come on in leaps and bounds since its launch and it is rewarding to be part of something that helps the scene and the talent within it to develop.

Ed Real from Trackitdown sums thing up nicely by saying ‘SeeMe was an excellent ‘boutique’ conference which gave us the opportunity to spend much more time with everyone there which I think will serve to strengthen relationships for the future.’

SeeU at SeeMe next year!

Website : http://www.seeme-sofia.com]]> music entertainment Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:06:00 +0200 International Music Summit - The Wrap-up IMS - International Music Summit

The aim of the first International Music Summit was to establish itself as a global forum that will address the challenges faced in the electronic music world today. Those with even a passing interest in dance music will be aware that there is already an annual Winter Music Conference held in Miami. However, whilst this is still one of the main networking events for the industry, it has become more about the parties than anything else.

In contrast, with the strap line ‘Back To Business’ and Pete Tong at the helm, the IMS made it’s intentions clear from the outset with it’s invite-only policy and intimate panels and speeches. The conference was logically staged in the unofficial capital of the dance music world, Ibiza, which provided the conference with a wonderful array of locations in the sense of both business and pleasure. An impressive array of the world’s most senior and authoritative figures from the industry gathered to debate and discuss the future of the industry including input and performances from artists such as Pete Tong, Francois K, Layo & Bushwaka!, Radioslave, Tom Middleton and Mark Brown.

Kicking things off was a panel entitled ‘Synch or Swim?’ which looked into synch issues and was moderated by Kerri Mason of Billboard magazine. Bruno Roussel, who has edited music for massive US shows such as Six Feet Under and Medium, provided some interesting insights alongside Jason Bentley from radio station KCRW and Neil Barnes of former Leftfield fame. After a key-note speech from David Levy (Amy Winehouse, Bjork’s agent) in the early afternoon, Tom Middleton headed-up an hour long workshop in which he demonstrated the composition of a track that was to become the IMS anthem.

Francois K lent his considerable presence to the proceedings next, giving an insightful talk which drew on wealth of experience and knowledge as he explained how he has sustained a career in the industry for 25 years.

The hot topic of discussion was covered in the second panel named ‘Ibiza: The Year of Change? This was a historical event in itself! Never before has every major club promoter from the island sat together with a member of the Ibiza consell to discuss the change in laws in Ibiza. No more day parties, no more after hours!! Isn’t this what Ibiza is all about? The discussion passed off without incident until Andrea Pelino from Circo Loco freely admitted that ‘Italians like to dance during the daytime, or as the sun rises out at sea, which is why DC10 has been such a global success story over the last decade.’ Andy Mackay from Ibiza Rocks then turned the argument on its head by suggesting that he was happy with the changes in the law as it would force parties underground and therefore spawn a wave of creativity in the process. The day was ended with a key-note speech from Sarah Tinsley regarding Groove Armada’s partnership with Bacardi.

With the business side of the day wrapped up everyone’s attention was diverted to the official opening party at the beautiful Can Atzaro hotel. A broad palette of musical tastes were catered for with Richard Norris from Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve opening with a mellow selection, followed by a Baleric set from Jason Bentley and a dubstep set from Francois K. Layo & Bushwacka rounded off a fantastic opening day with a warm and vibey house set.

Day two’s line up looked just as strong as what had preceded and began with a panel looking into the digital platform. Delegates included Beatport CEO Jonas Temple and Andrew Keen, author of the controversial ‘The Cult of the Amateur’ who was also delivering a key-note speech later in the day. The commercial aspect of the industry was covered in a brands- themed discussion which was moderated by Matt Jager from Naked Communications. IMS founder Pete Tong sat in on this one alongside co-founder Ben Turner who talked about of the potential partnerships that can be established, giving Sunday Best’s collaboration with Vauxhall Corsa as a great example.

Other highlights from Day two was the panel on how to enhance your DJ image and Soul Avengerz remixing, to great effect, the IMS anthem which was created yesterday by Tom Middleton. Wayne from the Soul Avengerz had the delegates in stitches and it this panel was an extremely insightful showcase on how to use remix packages.

Kicking off the evening’s events at the Hotel Fenicia was Fred Deakin who served up a cocktail of chilled out beats and sounds while all the delegates chatted and mingled. Tom Middleton carried on in similar vein with his usual eclectic grooviness! Mark Brown then turned the heat up a notch with some good old house grooves and was the first DJ to play the IMS anthem – it went down a storm! Sarah Main finished off the evening with a great set that left everyone’s toes tapping.

The final day of the IMS kicked off with the intriguing debate on Live vs Labels and was followed by one of the most eagerly awaited panels; the DJ Mag Top 100. Lesley Wright, Editor of DJ Mag clearly stated from the outset that the DJ Mag Top 100 was not a ‘Best DJ’ competition, and that it is a popularity contest… the arguments ensued and this panel proved to get the most reaction out of the delegates. Other panels included the IMS Think Tank. The days events finished off nicely with the founders giving a speech.

The conference ended on a high with its grand finale event at Pikes Hotel. Pikes’ tennis court was converted into a fantastic venue and all the delegates enjoyed the summer breeze and the music. The drinks were flowing and the mood was high. The highlight of the evening was the new South African 2 piece Goldfish, who had the audience enraptured and dancing their flip flops off!! Pete Tong & Rob da Bank rounding off the evening with an impressive set that had everyone revved up ready to head off for the opening of Pure Pacha with Sander Kleinenberg.

A fantastic conference, very organised, extremely insightful and interesting and a great first year.

Website : International Music Summit]]> music entertainment Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:09:00 +0200 Amsterdam Dance Event

A record number of dance music fans descended on the city of Amsterdam for the twelfth edition of the Amsterdam Dance Event that broke all records. From 18th - 20th October Amsterdam became the ‘Capital of Dance’, attracting 72,000 clubbers to the 3 day night programme and 1,800 key industry professionals to the sold out conference. There were also over 700 DJ’s and acts performing at 34 of Amsterdam’s finest venues and it was hard to know where to start and what to see first!

When arriving in Amsterdam from Schiphol airport on a big double-decker train, it was easy to slip into the relaxed rhythm of the city. A quick hop on the tram to our hotel for a for a quick freshen up and we were ready for action. The conference itself, is located in the historic Felix Meritis building, next to one of the many picturesque canals. Friendly staff were there to greet everyone as they registered and present the event guide, goodie bag and the all important wristband that gets you into all the clubs. Loose this at your peril as it’s your gateway to seeing the best DJ’s the electronic music scene has to offer. On exploring the 3 floors of the building, every room was buzzing with activity and it was hard to walk anywhere without bumping into someone you knew. "People in the industry see it more and more as essential to be here and the event has found its own dynamic and is growing every year." Enthused ADE General Manager Richard Zijlma.

Amsterdam Dance Event 2007

Each day was equally worthwhile with opportunities for networking and learning in the panels. The Artist Debate was the highlight of Thursday with an allstar lineup of Arthur Baker, Barbara Tucker, Judge Jules, Mason, President Bongo (Gus Gus), Tom Novy & Tommie Sunshine. The panellists discussed all aspects of being an artist and took questions from an eager audience. One of the main themes that came out of the debate was that being a DJ is not enough anymore, with Judge Jules commenting “In a crowded market place you have to everything to stand out”.

Friday was a day for learning about doing business in different territories including America, Eastern Europe and Ibiza. The main attraction however, was the arrival of Chuck D (Public Enemy), who joined the panel hosted by Dance4Life with Paul Van Dyk and Ferry Corsten and a keynote speech from Steve Schnur (EA Games).
"I found the entire event - and our panel in particular, to be a provocative exploration of the genre's future throughout the world." said Steve. "ADE has quickly become a significant international conference, and I absolutely look forward to next year's event."

Amsterdam Dance Event 2007

Saturday was a bit thin on the ground to start with, after two nights of partying was beginning to take its toll. But things soon picked up with an impressive line up of Q & A panels featuring Chuck D (Public Enemy) and Kevin Saunderson with Dave Clarke’s infamous Demolition XII rounding things off.

The festival programme was equally impressive, if not a little daunting as there was so much to choose from. On Thursday we started the night at Mansion where Judge Jules was playing. We’d also heard the food was good and they were so right as we had double helpings of the hot chocolate pudding for dessert! As we hit the dancefloor Jules really got the party started, then it was off to Cineac for the Toolroom Knights party, with our final destination being the Tom Novy party at the Escape. "ADE was great!" Enthused Tom Novy. "We had to close the doors at 1.15 because we were totally sold out! Thank You ADE and Thank You Amsterdam!"

Amsterdam Dance Event 2007

On Friday we were invited to the all new ADE Bowling championships, where 100 lucky delegates competed for the title of best bowler. It was a really great way to meet new people and there’s nothing like a bit of healthy competition to liven things up. Meanwhile at Cineac, Beatport and Prohibition were launching their new project Promo One, which will be a one stop shop for online promotion and distribution, where labels and can promote and sell their tracks all in one place. Next stop was Arthur Bakers party at Club 11, which had amazing views over the city. Then to Panama for the Cr2 Party with Dirty South and SOS, before squeezing into the packed out Melkweg for local favourites, Armin van Buurin, Fedde le Grande, Erick E and Rene Armesz. Phew! And if that wasn’t enough we finished off with a quick drink in Cineac for David Guetta’s F*ck me I’m Famous party, as it was just round the corner from the hotel.

By Saturday the tiredness was beginning to set in, but there were still so many parties to look forward too. First stop was BG, for the Stealth Records party. Stealth is one of the most successful record labels in Holland and they were showcasing new DJ talent such as Agent Greg from Greece and Muzzaik from Hungary. Meanwhile at Cineac, Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso were whipping the crowd up into a frenzy at the Swedish House Maffia party. But with an early flight on Sunday it was time to leave and get a few hours sleep, although many stayed and went straight from the club to the airport in true rockn’n’roll style.

“The ADE keeps gaining popularity on all fronts, whether you’re a fresh artist starting out or a top level high roller. Everyone who attends is doing business and it’s good to gauge what shape the dance scene is in. I see it as a mandatory weapon to display my music, do my interviews for radio and play my dj sets to the international eyes and ears of the industry! The panels discuss items that should interest each and all making the ADE a cross-platform conference that is bridging gaps and connecting artists with labels and vice versa” - Lucien Foort (The Netherlands)

Amsterdam Dance Event 2007

Sitting at the airport at 9am there was time to contemplate the 3 days and nights of the Amsterdam Dance Event, whilst trying to keep our eyes open. ADE is an event for both music industry professionals and electronic music fans. It offers the opportunity to meet international business partners in a friendly environment and enjoy some of the best DJ’s performing at Amsterdam’s best venues.

ADE’s Richard Zijlma sums things up "Looking back at this edition of ADE I can proudly say that we witnessed the best edition so far. Each year we strive to offer the best possible quality and service to our visitors, whom are all upgrading the value of ADE each and every year! We can only be grateful with all the support ADE is receiving from the industry"

Amsterdam Dance Event 2007

]]> music entertainment Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:24:00 +0100 Exit Festival 2007 - Probably The Best Festival in the World

Eager revealers arrived early and the campsite was overflowing by nightfall and as the first day of the festival arrived, the atmosphere in Novi Sad was buzzing with anticipation. Says EXIT’s Rajko Bozik “The English audience was great – friendly and in a good mood. There was a great atmosphere in the festival’s campsite and on the fortress, and many friendships were started among visitors from UK and Serbia/Balkans.”

As the sun began to set on the eve of the first night, the view from the terrace on the fortress was simply stunning. With the thousands of people walking in expectation across the bridge like an army of ants making the pilgrimage to the festival entrance. Tanya Stephens and Groove Armada began the proceedings on the main stage, but it was The Prodigy that shook the 18th Century fortress walls with their opening track Breathe. Revving up the crowd to insanity, Exit was left in a state of euphoria and the band’s car was totally mobbed when they tried to leave the site. “It was the best festival we played this year!” exclaimed Liam Howlett.

While all this was going on the crowd were treated to an amazing fireworks display before rock legend Robert Plant & The Strange Sensations took to the stage giving the crowd all the Led Zeppelin classics they had been waiting for and then culminating with the Stanton Warriors & Rodney P until sunrise.

Meanwhile on the Dance Arena the 25,000 strong crowd were treated to the delights of Aussie Deepchild, and then Trentemoller live, with one fan from Scotland saying “It’s so good it’s not right!” Next up was Green Velvet and Richie Hawtin who was took things tougher. “Exit was one of the most interesting gigs for me this year. The location was amazing and to feel the warmth of the people dancing and freaking out to my music was inspirational! Respect to the people of Exit for pushing the boundaries with their choice of lineup and bringing great new music one step further east!” enthused Richie Hawtin. Magda concluded the night with her selection of choice techno and her appreciation of the faithful crowd who showed her a true Serbian welcoming.

Exit Festival 2007

As the sun rose so did the temperature and the party people made their way back to their beds across the river in Novi Sad. But no time for rest as the beach party started at midday with Jo Mills bringing a slice of DC10 to the banks of the Danube. Pete Gooding and Alex Gold were also playing over the next few days for those who did not wish to sleep (or couldn’t).

Onto Day 2 and Friday was the turn of all girl group The Pipettes to kick things of on the Main Stage. “We were hit immediately by the enthusiasm of the crowd, we've never played a better party!” exclaimed Gwenno from the band. They were followed by the Brazilian band CSS with singer LoveFoxx modelling some very unique outfits including a sequined jumpsuit. Then it was the Beastie Boys turn to take command of the crowd with all their biggest hits and humorous stage antics. Followed by Zinc back to back with Friction and EXIT resident MC Dynamite bringing in the morning.

Cut to the Dance Arena where Ibiza’s We Love… crew played host, bringing with them the legendary Danny Tenaglia, 2020 Soundsystem live, Nic Fanciulli, Paul Woolford and Serge Santiago. Outstanding performances by all with a perfect ‘Exit moment’ when Danny Tenaglia donned a pair of large gold comedy sunglasses and busted some dance moves on the stage. Priceless - A true festival moment!

Exit festival has over 25 stages of all sizes and musical genres, a walk through the mystical fortress is like a magical wonderland…. Featuring the Café del Danube, the Elektrana Stage, Reggae Stage, Latino Stage, Urban Stage, Explosive Stage, Cinema, Happy Novi Sad Stage, Futureshock and trillions more. First up is the World Music Stage where the amazing group of percussionists from Novi Sad called Bateria SambaNsa were playing Brazilian rhythmic music.

Next up, the Reggae Stage hosted by Brixton’s Terratone crew who have been performing at the festival for 6 years and are considered residents of Exit! “The Serbian people are a joy to be amongst and treat everybody like royalty, the very little they have they openly share with you, it is truly touching” Wenti Coke enthuses. And this is a sentiment shared by many UK visitors to the festival. Said Mark, a punter from Manchester “The people of Serbia where so welcoming and friendly towards the festival goers to the point where we have made friends with many of them. The festival has a friendly atmosphere and is set in an excellent location.”

Exit Festival 2007

And there’s the MTV Movement stage – an intimate and rocking charity driven stage supporting social issues at EXIT. This year they launched the campaign ‘Movement’, promoting Tolerance and Diversity and encouraging people to free their minds from prejudice. Acts included The Loose Cannons, Kissy Sell Out, Rob Garza (Theivery Corporation), Bez (Happy Mondays) and Tayo, with surprise sets from Tom Finlay’s Groove Armada and Green Velvet doing an 80’s set no less. Diverse to say the least!

And onto the Fusion Stage where Serbian and regional bands perform. A group of Serbians explained that although the festival is a great party, it still means freedom to them. EXIT festival started as a student initiated project against the Milosevic regime in 1999 and although it has grown to into an internationally recognised event, EXIT still stays true to its roots and supports issues that effect the Serbian youth such as student mobility, youth activism and visa abolishment. Says EXIT’s Rajko Bozik “Because of visa regimes young people from Serbia and Balkan can’t travel easily, so having so many international visitors to EXIT was great opportunity for our local audience to find out more about festivals in UK and Europe. We hope very soon it would be easy for young Serbs to go to Glastonbury, just as it’s easy for young Brits to come to EXIT.”

And comparisons to Glastonbury are rife. With the variety of unique stages and performers, this year’s EXIT also featured Ms Lauryn Hill playing the diva, Basement Jaxx belting out their hits and the ultra smooth Snoop Dogg bringing the ‘bling’ to Main Stage, finishing with the delectable sounds of LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad.

Saturday also saw Roger Sanchez, the Godfather of house Frankie Knuckles, Buraka Som Sistema live, Justin Martin and Hannah Holland on the Dance Arena. "It’s great to see Serbia progressing in providing a place for people from all over the world to come together and enjoy electronic music. There were a lot more European attendees and for me it is very positive to see people like Frankie Knuckles on the line up. I really enjoyed playing this festival with a great crowd and wonderful organization" stated Roger Sanchez after rocking the 25,000 throng of revellers.

Sunday, the last night of the four day event featured the Audio Bullys, Pendulum DJ set, another amazing fireworks display and the mighty Wu-Tang Clan on Main Stage. With Wu Tang’s Masta Killah exclaiming after their performance "Man, they are crazy out there, crazy". Meanwhile in the Dance Arena, Sebastien Leger preceding John Digweed, both playing at EXIT for the first time before handing over the decks to Eric Prydz, another first time performance. Said John Digweed “One of the best festival gigs that I have ever done. Amazing venue, thumping sound system and great crowd”. And as the sun came up on the last morning, it was left, as tradition has it, to local hero Marko Nastic to end EXIT’s four day musical and magical fest.

Exit Festival 2007

EXIT is truly an amazing experience and although it gets bigger each year the sentiment is still the same. It is great to be part on an event that actually means something and makes a stand to make things better for the young people of Serbia.

EXIT’s General Manager Bojan Boskovic sums things up “Every year we aim to out-do the previous year and this year is no exception. We, as the State of EXIT, wish to bring various people together, mainly inviting international and regional bands, artists and performers to Serbia in order to promote the interaction of different cultures, traditions and beliefs through music and social activities. EXIT has become a social force that is a symbol of togetherness and cultural diversity, that every year brings more and more people from various backgrounds and cultures, together.”

Long may the State of EXIT reign!

Website : http://www.exitfest.org

Comments by Exit Festival artists
"We were not aware of the political roots of the festival, and now we know, we are double pleased we did it". - Adam "MCA" Yauch / Beastie Boys

"Man, they are crazy out there, crazy". - Masta Killah / Wu Tang Clan

“It’s a fascinating place with a raw and recent history and it’s got a real energy” - Tom Findlay / Groove Armada

“I have waited for years to come and I am so excited to be here! Many of my colleagues in this business always told me that if you get the chance to do Exit Festival in Serbia you gotta do it. The energy is great and the weather is great and the hospitality has been wonderful from the Exit festival people” - Danny Tenaglia

“First off I have to say respect to the 1000’s that waited for us to come on, as we were kept waiting 2.30 hours. Crowd always amazing in Serbia and we had a great time, thanks to everyone at Exit for helping us get there performance wise, must come back” - LTJ Bukem

"We have done a hell of a lot of festivals in our time but Exit is clearly up there with the best of them. Artists. organization, location, weather and most importantly the stupidly big crowd that went mental when we played the main stage. Unforgettable. Thanx" - Dominic B / Stanton Warriors

“Absolutely ridiculous!” - Green Velvet

“Best Festival in the world.” - Nic Fancuilli

"EXIT exceeded all my wildest dreams! It's a well organised and beautiful place to immerse yourself in and I'll remember playing to that awesome crowd forever!" - Kissy Sell out

“Exit has got to be the most insane location for a festival imaginable. Plenty festivals have numerous stages, & thousands of smiling faces, but only Exit makes you feel like you're doing it all in the mystical principality of Vulgaria from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - I kept expecting to bump into the Child Catcher. In fact, that's what I'm going as next year... Exit: The Carlsberg of Festivals - probably the best.” - The Loose Cannons

“That was simply the best gig I have seen in 18 years of playing at acid house parties! Honestly.....” - Ralph Lawson 20/20 Vision

"Fu**in’ top one!" - Bez / Happy Mondays

“Exit was the highlight of my career, I absolutely loved it!” - Zinc

“Fucking amazing festival, even if played early - I can honestly say its one of the best festivals I have ever done. The location is amazing, the sound system is perfect, the lights are great and the crew very nice. I would love to play there again!” ;) - Sebastien Leger

“The BEST festival I’ve ever been too… Utterly amazing from beginning to end. You have a truly special event there and you should be proud of it” - Serg Bienati / We Love Tours

"Quite simply, the best run, most inspiring and genuinely heart-warming festival I've played at. Impeccably well looked after by fantastic hosts on volunteers, and a pleasure to be a part of a genuine 'team' of individuals offering so much to the community. Musically excellent as well as risk-taking; a rare and inspired selection of both bigger acts and those who are at the grass-roots of the European musical community. How 20,000+ individuals crammed into the dance arena can exude such peaceful warmth and positive energy can only be a testament to the overriding spirit of this festival - a genuine celebration and affirmation of Serbia's people's dignity and future hopes. An honour." - Deepchild

“Exit Fest!!!! WOW! this was hands down the most amazing experience of my djing career. playing at sunrise for such a large crowd of beautiful, openminded, eager, dancing music fans was a dream come true. I had a very spiritual time and have been buzzing off the energy since I left that stage. I am a new man, and I only can hope and dream to be a part of such a wonderful thing again in the future. Thank you Exit festival. The love you showed has made me the worlds happiest dj” - Justin Martin

“Probably the best festival I’ve ever been to. Definitely coming back next year.” - Joe Ransome / Kiss FM

“Thank you so much for having me at Exit, It was a truly amazing experience” - Hannah Holland]]> music entertainment Sun, 30 Sep 2007 10:00:00 +0200 South East European Music Event 2007
I was keen to see how the things had progressed since the events launch and soon realised that I had only scratched the surface of the real situation in the region on my first visit. Day 1 started with a panel discussing issues of copyright and royalties and there were translators so everyone could understand what was going on, which was fantastic. The discussion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Culture and Bulgaria’s collection agency Profon. From the off it became clear that illegal downloading is a major problem that needs better regulation, but Profon argued that there was no mandate to collect money from downloads. To highlight the problem the panellists were asked to write down their favourite track to see if it could downloaded illegally before the end of the panel. Sure enough over half the tracks were found! Unbelievable!

There is only 1 legal download site in Bulgaria called MP3.bg and they are also targeted by the illegal downloaders. They told the panel that after 5 minutes of putting new tracks online, they are found on illegal sites and their sales stop. Music fans from South and Eastern Europe also have problems trying to use established download sites such as iTunes and Beatport as their credit cards are often not accepted, which does not encourage the use of legal sites.

After an explosive start the panels continued covering topics such as; The future of dance music in South East Europe, Music production and a demo feedback session headed up by Saw Recordings head honcho Hector Romero. There was also a market focus on The Netherlands with advice on how to break into international markets. Panellists included Richard Zijlma from the Amsterdam Dance Event and top Dutch DJ’s Lucien Foort and Laidback Luke. The Dutch ministry of culture had also supported the event and helped fund a Dutch DJ night to showcase talent from the Netherlands. Let’s hope the Bulgarian Ministry of culture gets behind their local artists so SeeMe can showcase up and coming talent at other international conference in the future.

After the panels everyone gathered in the Ballroom of the Central Military Club where we were treated to a live performance from local dance act Planet Magic Live and US house singers Keith Thompson, Darryl D'Bonneau and Georgie Porgie. I also got pulled on stage to dance with Georgie when he sang ‘Life Goes On’ for his big finale. Very embarrassing but good fun all the same! Keith and Darryl also joined in and trio brought the house down with their impromptu triple act.

After a quick bite to eat it at the restaurant next door, which became the unofficial meeting point for SeeMe participants, it was time to hit the official opening party at 4KM. Bush II Bush, Hector Romero and Satoshi Tomiie were playing in room 1 and there was also a local DJ playng called Vesselin who caught my attention. He played a mix of uplifting progressive and tribal house and is also resident at Sofia’s top house club Chervillo.

Room 2 was hosted by GLAM from Amsterdam and showcased the best Dutch DJ’s including Ryan Marciano, Sunnery James, Lucien Foort and Laidback Luke. Lucien played the final set of night and the crowd loved it so much that they wouldn’t let him stop and kept cheering him to play one more. Lucien invited all the Dutch DJ’s into the DJ Booth and they were all jumping up and down with the crowd. It was insane.

After partying hard on the first night and drinking too much of the local drink Rakya most of the participants found it difficult to make the 1:30pm start and the panels on day 2 started late. Discussions covered topics such as promotion, running a record label, digital music sales and a workshop with Dan Tait from Pioneer showcasing the DVJ and giving participants the opportunity to get hands on and have a go.

After the panels we went to the Ballroom to watch the finals of the Amnesia dance competition heats in the Military club ballroom. The prize was to dance at Amnesia for the summer season and competition was fierce, as were the dancers outfits!

Then it was off to 4KM for the second night of partying. Amnesia hosted room 1 recreating the clubs atmosphere for SE European clubbers to experience in Sofia. DJ’s providing the authentic Ibiza vibes were Amnesia resident Les Schmitz, Benjamin Bates (Dance4Life) and DJ Acim (Selecteddjs.com) from Serbia. Room 2 was hosted by Fokused who treated us to Christian Cambas from Greece, Jimmy Van M and Philipp Jung from M.A.N.D.Y was the highlight of the night for me. Hybrid were also playing at the Escape, club but I didn’t have time to check them out and I was having too much fun where I was.

After 2 days of networking and 2 nights of partying, it was hard to stay alert for the last day of panels. The discussions kicked off with how websites have changed the music business and and continued with music and brands, music conferences and festivals, the importance of radio and running a successful nightclub which featured representatives from the Ministry of Sound who gave advice on building a club brand and putting on parties around the world.

With the panels at an end it was time to let our hair down and get ready for the closing parties. We hadn’t been lucky with the weather this year as it had rained every day and tonight was no exception. But it didn’t dampen our spirits and I was looking forward to seeing Lottie and Fergie play. The Ministry room was decked out with banners and balloons which proved popular with the crowd who all wanted to take a piece of Ministry of Sound home with them. Dan Tait from Pioneer kicked off things with a DVJ set, followed by Chris Bailey from Ministry of Sound Radio. The highlight for me was Lottie who totally rocked it and won hoards of new fans in SE Europe. I have never seen a DJ surrounded by so many photographers before and the whole place went off when she dropped a remix of the Gossips ‘standing in the way of control’.

In the other room Fergie hit the decks on Bulgaria for the first time. The crowd gave him a warm welcome and were constantly passing him flyers to sign as well as bottles of beer! Techno is hugely popular in Bulgaria and Fergie became their new hero before handing over the decks to Ade Fenton. Other DJ’s playing that night were Robbie Riveria at Yalta and Wally Lopez at the PR Club and for the die hard there was an after party at Chervillo with local DJ’s Steven, Vesselin and Vityaz.

I was really impressed with this year’s event and believe it has helped cement the region’s place on the world dance music map. There were a lot more industry professionals from other countries in SE Europe and I made a lot of great new contacts from Romania, Serbia, Greece and Hungary. The level of professionalism and hospitality shown by the SeeMe organisers was second to none and I am looking forward to coming back in 2008.

The scene in Bulgaria and SE Europe is really starting to explode and there are many great clubs and talented new DJ’s and producers in the region. DJ Lion is one who has released tracks on Relaxator Records which is the first and only Bulgarian vinyl label and I’m sure it won’t be long before others break through into the international music scene. So watch this space!

Website : http://www.seeme-sofia.com]]> music entertainment Sun, 10 Jun 2007 14:11:00 +0200 Pacha New York Launch party recap

It was a cold and blustery Wednesday night in New York and new club Pacha was due open it’s doors for the first time. The queues down West 46th Street were intimidating to say the least and it looked like mass pandemonium! There were three white tents erected outside and a cherry red (how appropriate) carpet laid down on the steps for making a fabulous entry. Unfortuneatly it took quite a while to get to the front and grab a hold of one of the clipboard fairies in order to gain entry, but once inside I was not disappointed.

Though I had once been to Sound Factory which was in the same building a few years back, I felt like I had entered a clubbers utopia once I got in. I walked out onto the dance floor and was in the centre of it all. It was a who’s who of the dance music industry with key players from around the world rubbing shoulders with a host of celebrities and New York’s finest/elite. There were gorgeous dancers dressed as colorful geishas dancing on platforms in the middle of the dark and sexy dance floor. As I looked up at the floating DJ booth and saw Erick Morillo’s mentor Louie Vega manning the decks. He played house music all night long and the glamorous party goers were grooving with cocktails in hand.

I walked upstairs to explore. I dodged the host and managed to get a peek and the mezzanine where there were comfy coffee colored couches and a pretty amber light shining down on the tables, illuminating the groups of hipsters huddled around their bottles of vodka and champagne. I passed a cute little bar with a mosaic tiled cherry logo and then moved up to the next level to see what was there. First I noticed the dramatic balcony - there was a square cut-out in the floor with metal banisters surrounding it – the perfect place to spy on the dancers below and the DJ, which was now Pete Tong. I wandered in to one bright green corner that was shrouded with muslin curtains. When I walked up the platform steps I saw that there were carpeted beds with bright green cushions where people were curled up, gossiping about what celebrities were at Pacha that night.

After I left the green fuzzy area, I found a sleek little ski-lodge looking area with dark orange couches, wooden planks above and yellow lighting that made everything soft and beautiful. I went to sit down but as soon as I did I lifted my butt again because I spotted ‘the showers! There were two large steamy showers set up on a purple platform and I watched as every fifteen minutes two more gorgeous girls jumped in, got soaked and boogied to the beats. Lots of lads were gathered around the showers, taking pictures with their cell phones and gawking at the dancers doing their thing. We managed to grab a table in the shower area for a quick drink and looked around at the pretty painted walls that featured gold lace and butterflies.

Then a friend spied a staircase while en route to the bathroom so we grabbed our beverages and went to see what was in the attic. When I walked in I was struck by the elegance of the room - it looked like the Mediterranean hideaway of a billionaire. There were plush round couches in deep blue shades in one half of the arched room and a light up table that looked like it was made of stained glass windows from a church. There was a dance floor where beautiful people boogied to the sound of hip-hop coming from the DJ booth which was padded with brown patent leather on the outside. There were modular square couches in the centre of the room and little short tables which completed the lounge area.

It was gone 4am and we went back downstairs to the main dancefloor, where the music was still pumping and the dancefloor was still heaving. The club was more amazing than I imagined and the party was a once in a lifetime experience that I didn’t want it to end. If that wasn’t enough there was still more to look forward to at the weekend, as the main public opening party was on Friday with Erick Morillo taking to the decks and Saturday had Steve Angello from Sweden.]]> music entertainment Sun, 08 Jan 2006 11:14:00 +0100